DESCRIPTION:
'Dalle piu alte sfere' ( from La Pellegrina, 1589), performed by soprano Anna Fraser and the Australian early music ensemble Consort Astraea, in 'Harmonious Revolutions: Galileo & The Music of the Spheres', early music multimedia event created and directed by lutenist Andrew Byrne for the 2009 International Year of Astronomy, featuring sequenced astrophotography by David Malin and others. (sorry about the audio noise in parts - we had trouble with the equipment on the night). Sponsored by the National Academies Forum (Canberra) and first presented on March 4th, this footage from the fourth, September 5th production sponsored by the Royal Society of N.S.W. (Sth. Highlands). Music attributed to Emilio de' Cavalieri (Palisca). Text by Giovanni Bardi, founder of the Camerata Fiorentina :

(Armonia) Dalle più alte sfere
Di celesti sirene amica scorta
Son larmonia ch'a voi vengo mortali
Poscia, che fino al ciel battendo l'ali
L'alta fiamma n'apporta
Che mai si nobil coppia il sol non vide
Qual voi nuova Minerva e fort' Alcide.

(Harmony:) From the highest spheres,
pleasantly delivered by the celestial sirens,
I am Harmony and I come to you, mortals,
after beating my wings up to the heavens
to rekindle their flame
for the Sun has never witnessed such a noble couple
as the new Minerva and strong Hercules.